Apparatus for peeling tomatoes



M. W. LOWE APPARATUS FOR PEELING TOMATOES 4 Sheets-Sheet l v L A Tx Si i i 2 July 17, 1956 Filed Aug. 18. 1952 July 17, 1956 M. w. LOWE APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES Filed Aug. 18. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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July 17, 1956 M. W. LOWE 2,754,749

APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES Filed Aug. 18. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 17, 1956' M. W. LOWE 2,754,749

APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES Filed Aug. 18. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2,754,749 Patented July 17, 1956 APPARATUS FOR PEELING TOMATOES Mark W. Lowe, Connersville, Ind. l

Application August 18, 1952, Serial No. 307,514

4 Claims. (Cl. 99-234) In my prior application, Serial No. 557,410 (now Patent No. 2,609,022, granted September 2, 1952), I disclosed a tomato peeling machine comprising a drum having in its Wall one or more helical slots through which tomatoes within the drum were exposed to the action of various agents promoting the peeling action. 'Ihe machine comprised three sections which may for convenience be designated as the scarifying section, the scalding section, and the peeling section. In the scarifying section, sharply pointed elements mounted outside the drum operated on surfaces of tomatoes exposed by the slots to pierce and cut the skins of the tomatoes. In the scalding section, a jet of heated fluid was directed inwardly of the drum through each helical slot therein, such jet progressing axially to maintain its `alignment with the slot. In the third section of the machine, the tomatoes were exposed through the helical slots in the drum to the action of peeling rollers. This present application is directed to mechanism included in the scalding section of the machine.

It is an object of the invention to produce a device which will discharge a stream of fluid and move such stream transversely of its direction of ow at a controlled rate. Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine having a helically slotted drum-type conveyor means which will form a fluid, preferably a heated uid, into a jet directed inwardly of the conveyor through a helical slot therein and which will cause such jet to move axially of the conveyor in timed relation with conveyor-rotation to maintain the jet in alignment with the slot. A further object of the invention is to provide means for promoting the peeling of tomatoes by subjecting the scaried skins thereof tothe action of a jet of fluid which will cause the skins, at the edges of cuts therein, to curl outwardly and separate themselves to the helical groove for discharge through the casingwall at the points where the groove and'slot intersect. Conveniently, the rotor has a diameter substantially less than that of the casing-bore, and the fluid to be discharged is supplied directly to such bore. In incorporating such a fluid-discharge device in a tomato peeling machine, the machine may be provided with a rotatable cylindrical drum having one or more helical slots in its wall, the fluid-discharge device is mounted at one side of the drum and parallel thereto so that fluid discharged from the device will be directed radially ofthe drum. The drum and the rotor of the discharge device are interconnected for rotation in timed relation inv such a manner that each jet discharged'from the discharge-device remains in alignment with a slot in the drum as the drum rotates.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Figs. l, 2, and 3 are side elevations respectively of the three sections of a complete tomato-peeling machine; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the receiving end of the machine with the supply chute removed; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation of the scalding means on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the peeling mechanism; Fig. 9 is a rear end elevation of the peeling mechanism; and Fig. 10 is a fragmental axial section on an enlarged scale showing a preferred construction of the drum and the manner in which it is associated with the peeling rollers.

The machine shown in the drawing comprises a frame 15 which rotatably supports a drum designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 16. Such drum is provided interiorly with one or more helical ribs, adapted to cause tomatoes to be fed axially through the drum as it is rotated, and with generally circumferentially extending slots through which the tomatoes are exposed to the action of various means located outside the drum. Preferably, the drum 16 is formed, as more fully shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,332,093, of a plurality of helically coiled rods 17 (Fig. l0) covered by strips 19 of rubber or similar elastic material each formed centrally to embrace a rod 17 and extending toward the strips of adjacent rods to leave helical slots 18. As shown, the drum comprises four of the rods 17 and strips 19, but this number may be varied as desired.

At intervals along its length, the drum 16 is provided exteriorly with supporting rings 20 to each of which the rods 17 are secured. Each ring 20 is formed exteriorly with an annular groove 22 adapted to receive supporting rollers 24 rotatably mounted on the frame 15.

For the purpose of driving the drum, the rings 20 respectively carry ring gears 26, each of which meshes with a pinion 28 rigidly mounted on a shaft 30 which extends longitudinally of the frame 15 and which is, adapted to be driven by any suitable means. In additionto the pinions 28 meshing with the gears 26, the shaft 30v may be provided with rolls 32 received in the grooves;

22 of the respective rings 20. ,The 4rolls 32 are loosely mounted on the shaft 30 so that they may rotate rela-- tively thereto.

As the drum rotates, in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 4, .5, and 7), tomatoes supplied to the inlet end through a supply chute 33 will be fed axially throughl the drum by the action ofv ther helical ribs on the strips 19. Rotation of the drum causes the tomatoes to be carried upwardly for a distance from the lowest point of the drum, and the'tomatoes then slide or roll downwardly. This movement, augmented by the action of the scarifying and other external means hereinafter described, produces a tumbling action by which substantially all portions of the surface of each tomato will be presented toward the slots 18.

In the iirst section of the machine, in which the tomatoes are scarilied to break their skins, I mount in association with the lower portion of the drum a shaft 40 which extends longitudinally of the frame 15 and is rotatably supported therefrom. The shaft 40 is desirably located slightly below the highest point attained by the tomatoes in the rotation of the drum. The shaft 40V carries means adapted to project through the slots 18 and engage the tomatoes within the drum 16. 1 As shown,

such means comprises a helical rib 41 integral with theY shaft 40 and provided on outer surface with a multiplicity vof relatively sharp projections 42. VThe rib 41 is `of opposite hand to the strips V19, so that by rotating .the shaft at the proper speed andk in a direction opposite to that in which the drum rotates the rib 41 will not interfere with drum-rotation. In the particular construction shown, there are four of the strips 19in the drum 16 and one rib 41 on the shaft 40'and' the pitch of'thel rib is one-fourth thatl of each of the strips 19.

that of the slotsV 18, the outerdiameter of the shaft 4'0 is one-fourth that ofv the drum; and in order that therib may remain in the. slots 18 as the drum rotates, the shaft 40 is driven at arotational speed four times that of the drum.

Forl the'purpose of" driving the shaft 40, it is provided with a drive gear 44 which meshes with an idler pinion V rotatably supported from a bracket 46' mounted on the mainframe 15. The idler pinion 45 meshes with a gear 47 rigidlyjrnounted on a shaft 48V which is rotatably supported inn the bracket' 46. The shaft' 48 carries a gear 49 meshing with one of the. ring gears 26. on the drumv16.

As` the. tomatoes pass through'the machine they are carried upwardly by rotation ofl the drum and come into contact with the rib 41. and the teeth 42 carried thereby. The teeth break'the skins of the tomatoes, and in addition tend to lift them. clear. of the strips 19. This lifting action of the teeth promotes a tumbling of the tomatoesl and tends to prevent each tomato from sliding on the inner surface of the strips 19` with they same portion of its surface always presented toward the slot 18.

After having 'been subjected to the action ofthe teeth 42 on the shaft 40, the tomatoes continue their passage through the drum and come into Contact with jets of steam or hot water. Conveniently, these jets are provided by the means illustrated in Figs. 2, 5, 6and 7. As

shown in those figures, there isl disposed at one side ofl the drum 16V a longitudinally extending casing 60 enclosing a shaft 61 andv provided on that side closest to the drum 16 with a longitudinally extending slot 62. The shaft 6'1 is mountedeccentrically in the casing 60'so that its outer surface overlies the inner endy of the slot 62'. In

the outer surface ofthe shaft 61, I provide a helical groove 63 of a. pitch corresponding to the spacingv of adjacent turns of the strips 19. The interior ofA the casing' is connected, as through a conduit 65, with a source of steam under pressure.

Steam supplied to the casing 60 through the conduit 65 may escape therefrom at the points where the helical groove 63 crosses the slot 62, the steam entering the slot 62 by traveling in both directions toward it through the groove 63; By proper spacing ofthe turns of the helical groove 63, and by rotating the shaft 61 in the proper direction and at the proper speed, there are provided a plurality of steam jets, each discharging from the slot 62 into a slot 18 and moving along the slot 62 at a speed which maintains it opposite the associated slot 18.

For the purpose of rotating the shaft 61, it may be provided with a reduced journal 66 which extends outwardly through a stuffing box 67 in an end wall of thev casing 60 and whichbeyond such end wall, has a gear 68 secured to it. The gear 68 is driven through an appropriate train of gearing from one of the ring gears 26 on the drum 16. As shown, the gear train is similar to that employed to rotate theshaft 40 previously described.

In the device of the drawings there is a single groove 63 in the shaft 61, the pitch of this groove corresponding to the spacing of adjacent strips 19 in the drum 16. As there are four of the strips 19 in the drum, the shaft61 therefore rotates at four times the speed of the'drum 16. Although not essential, I prefer to make the groovel 63 of opposite hand to the strips 19, and the shaft 61 therefore rotates in a direction opposite to that ofthe drum 16. The gear train previously referred to-is designed to=ro tate the shaft 61l at the proper speedy and-,in the proper direction.

As the tomatoes pass through that portion of the drum InA order that the pitch-angle of. the rib may approximate 1'6 coextensive with the shaft 61, jets of steam enter the slots 18 and strike the tomatoes whose surfaces are exposed through those slots. The action of such steam on the tomatoes, the skins of which have previously been broken by the action of the teeth 42, tends to shrink the skins and causes them to split. In addition, if the slot 62 is located near the highest point attained by the tomatoes inthe rotation of the drum 16, as it is in the machine of the drawings, the steam jets acting on the tomatoes will appreciably' augmentthe tumbling action. Further, the inpact of the steamjets on the loosened skins will tend to peel them from the body of the tomatoes.

It is not necessary that the uid supplied to the casing 60 be steam, as hot water will also be effective. In assisting the tumbling action and tending to tear the skins from the tomatoes, the action of the jets emitted from the slot 62 isindependentof the temperature of the fluid; but I' prefer to use fluid of elevated temperature because of. its effect infacilitating removal of the skins.

After having been subjected to the action of the steam jets, the tomatoes pass into association with peeling mechanism designed' to effect complete removal of the skins. The peelingv mechanism which I prefer to employ is that' illustrated in Figs. 3, 8, and 9. It comprises pairs of peeling rollers 80 rotatably supported from and extending longitudinally of the frame 15. As will be clear from Fig. 9, the pairs of rollers are arranged, transversely of the machine, on an arc subtaintially concentric with the axis-of the drum 16 and as close as conveniently possible to the exterior surface of such drum.

For its working length, each of the rolls 80 is faced with rubber or similar elastic material, and the rolls of each pair are spacedapart adistance such that this rubber facing is compressed. The two rolls of each pair are driven in opposite directions so that the interengaging portions of` their faces move generally downwardly, or away from the drum.16. As the tomatoes pass through the drum opposite the rollers 80, their loosened skins drop through they slots- 18 to become pinched between the two rolls. 80 of each pair and thereby pulled downwardly away from the tomatoes.

For the purpose of driving each pair of rollers4 80, I provide a drive gear 81. The several drive gears 81 are desirablyl driven by a common driving means, here shown as of the chain-and-sprocket variety. As will be clear from Fig. 9, each ofthe drive gears is rotatable with a shaft 82 to which a sprocket 83 is xed, and a drive chain 84%Y is associated in common with all sprockets 83. In order to secure an adequate arc of contact on each sprocket 84, the chain is desirably arranged as shown in Eig; A9', passing between and engaging opposite sides of adjacent sprockets. In addition to engaging the sprockets 83 the chain 84 also engages a drive. sprocket 85 andtwo idlers 86 and 87. One of the idlers, here shown asthe idler. 8.7, is adjustable to tighten the chain. The sprocket V85 may be driven in any convenientmanner.

The two rollers 80 of each pair are drivngly interconnected hy pinions. of equal diameter and one of them is provided with a pinion 91 engaging the associated drive gear 81. The roll bearing the pinion 91 is so selected as to impart to each roll rotation in the desired direction 4above described.

.In order. to avoid-the necessity for longitudinally extending stiffening members supporting the strips 1.9 between the rings 20, which stiffening members would partially occlude the slots 18, I provideV between the rings 20 supporting rollers 93.v Such rollers are mounted in the frame 15 on opposite sides of the drum and support theaweight of the strips 19 and of the tomatoes within the-drum. Invthe first section of the machine, the necessity for afroll93ronone side of the drum may be eliminatedfby makingl theshaft 40 of a diameter such that it. will support the strips v19.

In thefoperation. of. the machine, tomatoes. are supplied to the drum 16 through the chute 33, and pass axially through the drum as it is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (Figs. 4,- 5, and 7). In the first section of the machine the skins of the tomatoes are broken by the scarifying teeth 42; in the second section, the steam jets issuing from the slot 62 through the drumslots 18 loosen the skins and partially separate them from the bodies of the tomatoes; and in the third section, the loosened skins hanging through the slots 18 are pinched between oppositely rotating rolls 80 and stripped from the tomatoes. Emerging from the rear end of the drum 16, the tomatoes are conveyed away through a discharge chute 94.

Jets of steam and hot-water sprays have previously been used to loosen the skins of tomatoes preparatory to peeling them, but I have found that the peeling operation is made even easier if the skins of the tomatoes are broken before the scalding operation. With the skins broken before scalding, the scalding operation seems to enlarge breaks in the skin and the skin tends to peel back away from the breaks in it.

The tumbling action to which the tomatoes are subjected by rotation of the drum 16 also aids in loosening the skins. Tumbling, however is very hard to obtain, as the tomatoes are not spherical and slide readily on the inner surfaces of the strips 19. The rib 41 and teeth, as well as the jets of steam issuing from the slot 62, act upwardly on the lower surfaces of the tomatoes and tend to lift the tomatoes upwardly clear of the strips 19, thus promoting the desired tumbling action.

As will be obvious from Fig. 10, although the tomatoes have a diameter materially greater than the width of the slots 18, they nevertheless protrude through such slots. Accordingly, it is not essential that the scarifying means mounted exteriorly of the drum extend into the interior of the drum through the slots 18, as such scarifying means could be located entirely outside the drum and arranged to act only on those portions of the tomatoes which protrude through the slots. In such event, it would still be desirable to confine the actual scarifying elements 42 or their equivalent to regions opposite the slots 18 in order to avoid interference between such elements and the strips 19.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided With a helical slot in its wall, a casing disposed contiguous to Asaid drum and provided on its side nearest the drum with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a shaft located eccentrically within said casing and closing the inner end of said slot, said shaft being provided with a helical groove formed to cross the slot in the casing' at points in alinement with the slot of the drum, means for supplying a uid under pressure to said casing, and means for rotating said shaft and drum in timed relation to maintain the alignment between the drum-slot and the points at which said helical groove crosses said slot.

2. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot in its wall, a casing disposed contiguous to said drum and provided on its side nearest the drum with a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a shaft located within said casing and closing the inner end of said slot, said shaft being provided with a helical groove formed to cross the slot in the casing at points in alinement with the slot of the drum, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to said casing, and means for rotating said shaft and drum in timed relation to maintain the alignment between the drum-slot and the points at which said helical groove crosses said slot.

3. A fluid discharge device comprising a casing hav ing a cylindrical bore and being provided with a slot extending through its wall and longitudinally of such bore, a cylindrical rotor located within such bore and provided in its outer surface with a helical groove, the outer surface of said rotor being disposed in sealing relationship with the surface of said casing-bore at the edges of said slot, said rotor being of substantially smaller diameter than said bore to provide a passage extending for the length of the bore on the side thereof opposite said slot, means for supplying uid to said passage for discharge through the orifice dened at the intersection of the groove and slot, and means for rotating the rotor to cause such orifice to move longitudinally of the slot.

4. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot in its wall, means for rotating said drum, a device located outside of but adjacent to said drum for forming a jet of uid and directing such jet into said slot, said device including a member movable to cause movement of such jet in a direction parallel to thevaxis of the drum, and means for moving said member in timed relation to the rotation of the drum for maintaining said jet in alignment with the helical drumslot.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,483 Thomas July 18, 1916 1,252,322 Cooley Jan. 1, 1918 1,581,071 Lowe Apr. 13, 1926 

